There are currently 11 teams in the country that have yet to lose - four in the Big East, three in the Big XII, and one each in the Big Ten, SEC, MVC, and MWC.
Of those 11 teams, who will be the first to lose? The last? Can any of them run the table?
Read along to find out:
SETON HALL: 8-0
- RPI (all RPI numbers via RealTimeRPI): 52
- KenPom: 49
- Early season schedule: Seton Hall has played a very easy schedule thus far (ranked 255th) in the season. They do have a nice road win at Cornell, but that's about it. The Pirates have a talent laden roster and look good on paper, but until we see results, we will be skeptical of their record.
- Next five games: Temple, Navy, West Virginia, UConn, @ Virginia Tech
- First loss: I don't see them beating West Virginia on the 26th, but the Pirates better not over look a Temple team that lost to Georgetown by one and beat Villanova. In fact, SHU could easily have four losses by the end of this stretch.
- RPI: 11
- KenPom: 19
- Early season schedule: There three wins over Temple, Butler, and Washington are all quality wins, but after that Georgetown has played a whole lot of nothin'. Their schedule strength is 86th.
- Next five games: Old Dominion, Harvard, St. John's, @ DePaul, @ Marquette
- First loss: Games against St. John's, at Marquette, and against UConn will be tough, but if they get through unscathed, I don't see the Hoyas beating Villanova on the road.
- RPI: 3
- KenPom: 4
- Early season schedule: The Mountaineers have breezed through the 25th rated schedule so far this season, including wins over Texas A&M and Portland in the 76 Classic and a dismantling of Duquesne. They are still not playing at full strength as Devin Ebanks has yet to come to life.
- Next five games: @ Cleveland State, Ole Miss, @ Seton Hall, Marquette, @ Purdue
- First loss: The game against Cleveland State game could be a trap game on the road as the Mountaineers have a tough slate coming up. Ole Miss is good as well, but I see WVU losing their first game to Purdue on New Years Day.
- RPI: 7
- KenPom: 5
- Early season schedule: Tough to believe the Orange have the 61st toughest schedule, as they can claim victories over UNC, Cal, Florida, and Cornell.
- Next five games: St. Bonaventure, Oakland, @ Seton Hall, Pitt, Memphis
- First loss: Seton Hall could be a tough game as the Pirates have the shooters to force Syracuse to extend their zone, but I think the Orange will be undefeated when they head to Morgantown on January 17th.
- RPI: 15
- KenPom: 2
- Early season schedule: Kansas really hasn't beaten anyone this season (101st rated schedule). The Memphis win was solid, but the Tigers are not the same Tigers this season. The win at UCLA isn't what a win at UCLA usually is, either.
- Next five games: Michigan, Cal, Belmont, @ Temple, Cornell
- First loss: Winning at Tennessee on the 10th is going to be difficult, as will their date at Kansas State on January 30th. But wouldn't it be cool if both Kansas and Texas were undefeated come their matchup in Austin on February 8th?
- RPI: 13
- KenPom: 1
- Early season schedule: The Longhorns have beaten Iowa, Pitt, and USC this season, but am I the only one that thinks their win over Western Carolina, who just beat Louisville, is their most impressive thus far? Their schedule ranks 91st.
- Next five games: vs. UNC, Michigan State, Gardner-Webb, Texas A&M-CC, @ Arkansas
- First loss: We will know a lot more about the Longhorns if they can make it past both the Heels and the Spartans. If they do, I don't think they can make it through a four game stretch when they play Texas A&M, @ Kansas State, @ UConn, and Texas Tech in an 11 day stretch.
- RPI: 30
- KenPom: 50
- Early season schedule: Beating Washingotn in OT lent some credibility to their undefeated record, but Tech is still largely unproved as their schedule (176th) has been far from impressive.
- Next five games: @ Wichita State, Stanford, @ New Mexico, McNeese State, UTEP
- First loss: I don't think the Red Raiders will be able to go into the Pit and beat an undefeated New Mexico team.
- RPI: 24
- KenPom: 45
- Early season schedule: Kentucky has wins over UNC, UConn, and an improved Indiana squad, but they have still played a schedule ranked 148th. Combine that with some unimpressive performances against teams like Stanford and Miami OH, and their computer numbers have suffered a bit too.
- Next five games: Austin Peay, Drexel, Long Beach State, Hartford, Louisville
- First loss: Louisville isn't quite on Kentucky's level this year, but we've learned the hard way records don't matter in rivalry games. Going into the Swamp on the 12th will be a tall task as well, especially as they play a road game against good competition for the first time.
- RPI: 6
- KenPom: 6
- Early season schedule: Purdue has played the 54th toughest schedule this season, and wins against Wake Forest, Tennessee, and at Alabama back that up.
- Next five games: Ball State, Southern Illinois-Edwardsville, @ Iowa, West Virginia, Minnesota
- First loss: WVU and Minnesota will both be tough, especially playing without Lewis Jackson to handle the point against physical defense, but I think Purdue loses their first game when they have to head to the Kohl Center and play Wisconsin.
- RPI: 16
- KenPom: 20
- Early season schedule: New Mexico hasn't played a great schedule (104th), but wins over Cal and Texas A&M are quite impressive. But we know they are good at home, can they win on the road?
- Next five games: Creighton, @ Oral Roberts, Texas Tech, Dayton, @ San Diego State
- First loss: That's a pretty tough five game stretch. Remember, Oral Roberts beat Missouri at home. If UNM gets through this stretch (and that's a big if), I don't think they beat UNLV.
- RPI: 21
- KenPom: 47
- Early season schedule: Missouri State has a win over an SEC team (Auburn) and an NCAA Tournament team (Tulsa) at home, but hasn't played much else beyond that (134th rated schedule).
- Next five games: @ St. Louis, @ Arkansas, @ Evansville, Illinois State, @ Northern Iowa
- First loss: If the Bears can make it through that three game road stretch, I don't see them getting past UNI on the road.
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